Your NatureBridge Program
School and Group Field Science at Channel Islands
Leaving everything familiar behind, students study isolated landscapes and seascapes, experience unique animals and plants, and begin to think differently about the world and their place in it.
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NatureBridge at Channel Islands Directions |
Your NatureBridge Program
Ready to plan your trip? We’ve put together the resources you need to streamline the planning process. Please look over the contents below. If you need additional information, please call or email as directed in the sections below.
Channel Islands
Camping on Santa Cruz Island
Island Hopping on a Live-Aboard Boat
Combine your Channel Islands Adventure with a Santa Monica Mountains Adventure
Working together
Fundraising can be a fun and creative group activity. When students work together to raise funds for an exciting goal, the process becomes a fulfilling endeavor. Many schools provide their students with the opportunity to raise their own tuition or funds for transportation to campus.
Community investment in students and schools increases when local businesses, civic groups, and families have an opportunity to participate and engage in the fundraising process.
Funding ideas
Download a list of fundraising ideas to get your creative juices flowing. We are always interested in updating our list. Please share your successful fundraising activities or stories with us. Email channelislands@naturebridge.org
Grants for teachers
It is our experience that the best way to find sustainable outside funding for a program at NatureBridge is to find an organization or individual in your community with the resources and the passion to support experiential outdoor education.
Below is a list intended to give you ideas for possible program-funding grants. Some of these grants may not be used to help fund your trip, but instead would help fund complementary curriculum and long-term environmental stewardship projects in your school and community.
| American Honda Foundation | Supports projects with a focus on math, science, the environment, and technology. $20,000 - $60,000 |
| Captain Planet Foundation | Makes awards that usually range between $250 to $2,500 for projects that promote understanding of environmental issues and focus on hands-on experiences for students. |
| The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation | Goal is to fund and share successful strategies to educate and prepare students for bright and rewarding futures. |
| Target - Field Trip Grants | Funds up to $700 for field trips to enhance their studies in the arts, math, science and social studies. Applications accepted annually after August 1. |
| Toshiba America Foundation | Funds project ideas and materials teachers need to innovate in their math and science classrooms. |
| Toyota Tapestry Grants | Grants of up to $10,000 each to implement innovative, community-based science projects in environmental science, physical science, and integrating literacy and science. Annual March deadline. |
| Philanthropic Ventures Foundation | Funds up to $1,000 for field trips, to cover the costs of "transportation, admission fees and food" for K-5 schools from Alameda and San Mateo Counties. |
Grant writing tips
Never written a grant before? Don’t panic, we have provided some basic steps for you to follow.
We suggest that you contact the following free public resources to get you started. Keep in mind that the best source of funding for you would be those organizations that give funds directly to schools and/or teachers for innovative programs.
The Foundation Center: This website has multiple resources for grant seeking, including lists of foundations, newsletters, and instructions on how to prepare a proposal.
Edutopia: Contains grants information and resources for teachers and schools.
EE-Linked: Offers information about national, regional, and local grants; tips and techniques for successful proposals; and many ides for supporting your classroom initiatives. Go to ‘For Teachers’ and select ‘Grants.’
SchoolGrants: Offers free information on several grants. There is a fee for some services.
Chronicle of Philanthropy: An informative resource list for schools and nonprofit organizations looking for funding.
NatureBridge scholarships
NatureBridge is committed to reaching students in all the communities we serve. Thanks to the generosity of donors, NatureBridge offers scholarships to approximately 35 percent of our schools. Scholarships are awarded based on the free and reduced lunch rate of a school (or private-school equivalent) and/or other supplemental information to support need.
If you believe your school or group may qualify for a scholarship, please fill out and submit a scholarship application form to Karen Oxrider.
NatureBridge is committed to planning and conducting a safe and specialized program to meet your group’s academic and social growth needs. To this end, there are many forms for us to use to craft your program. Submitting most of these completed forms to us as soon as you can will ensure ample time for us to plan!
Planning tools
Download and print these two helpful documents.
- The Planning Checklist will give you an overview of how best to plan your program from start to finish, including timelines, forms, suggestions, and tips!
- The Essential Paperwork Table helps you to keep track of all the forms you may need to use to plan your trip.
If you have any questions about these forms, please contact Education Manager Meg Jakubowski at mjakubowski@naturebridge.org or call 310-774-5990.
Plan your educational experience
Our curriculum is customized for each program by our field science educators, who all hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a science or science-related field. You will choose one to two California State Science Standards, and the level of social growth you would like your students to experience on their trip. We combine science lessons, data collection and observation, and team building to meet your exact needs. Students depart our campuses with leadership skills and a mastery of your chosen standards – all learned in a beautiful and inspiring setting. You can also view our Areas of Study for generalized descriptions of our lesson topics; it may help you narrow the academic focus for your trip.
Essential forms and paperwork downloads
Participant registration forms
Packing lists
- Packing List Boat in English
- Packing List Boat in Spanish
- Packing List Island Camping in English
- Packing List Island Camping Spanish
Teacher/group leader’s program logistics forms
- Planning Questionnaire
- Planning Checklist
- Trail Group & Medical/Dietary Alerts
- Master Participant Roster
Sleeping arrangement forms
- Boat Groups List
- Tent Groups List for Circle X or Channel Islands tent camping
- Cabin Groups List for Camp Shalom
Miscellaneous forms
- Scholarship Application
- Student Behavior Contract
- Sample Letter to Parents
- California Science Standards
- Channel Islands Outfitter kayak/ snorkel Acknowledgement of Risk and Medical Information form
Program locations and vendor information
Island hopping with Truth Aquatics
With the live-aboard boat, your group will island hop between different Channel Islands. Depending on the length of your trip, and weather conditions, you could visit one or more among San Miguel, Santa Rosa Island, and/or Santa Cruz Island.
We depart from Santa Barbara Harbor aboard one or more vessels in the Truth Aquatics fleet. Your group will sleep aboard the ship, and hike on the islands during the day. Learn more about Truth Aquatics’ fleet.
Tent camping on Santa Cruz Island
We take an Island Packers ferry from Ventura Harbor and land on Santa Cruz Island at Scorpion Anchorage.
Please contact us if you have other questions regarding the accommodations you will experience on your trip or which vessel your group has been assigned to.
Contact Education Manager Meg Jakubowski at mjakubowski@naturebridge.org or 310-774-5990.
Kayaking and snorkeling
If you haven’t looked underwater, you haven’t fully experienced the Channel Islands! We partner with Channel Islands Outfitters, whose specialized guides lead your group in a kayaking and snorkeling experience. You will wear overall-style jumpsuits that will keep your body warm while kayaking in pairs on sit-on-top ocean kayaks.
While the water is chilly, it is well worth it to snorkel and experience the diversity of the marine environment in this unique, underwater portion of the National Park.
Contact Karen Oxrider at koxrider@naturebridge.org to discuss the cost of adding this to your camping or live-aboard boat program.
Island information
Motion Sickness: While some participants do experience motion sickness aboard the boat, a self-administered dose of over the counter anti-nausea medication is typically very effective.
Swimming: We do not permit swimming or wading in the Pacific Ocean.
Cancellations: We will camp, hike, and conduct the program in inclement weather, including rain. At times, decisions may be made to cancel a trip due to weather considerations. We will do our best to let you know as far in advance of the possibility of a cancellation. The decision to cancel is, at times, out of our hands, as we rely on Island Packers or Truth Aquatics to transport us safely to the island. Of course, we will do everything we can to reschedule or refund your trip as outlined in your contract, and we will deal with this issue personally and on a case-by-case basis to all parties' satisfactions.
Program schedule
Still wondering what your program might look like? We have numerous options that underscore our flexibility in program planning with you. Rest assured - you will talk to a NatureBridge employee to customize your unique program. Download a sample lesson plan and schedule for a four-day boat program in the Channel Islands.
Teaching tools
Help prepare your students and answer any questions before your visit! You can request a pre-trip visit to your classroom from a NatureBridge staff member. Because staffing is limited, we may not be able to accommodate every request. However, we recommend a pre-trip visit for all first-time groups. Contact Meg Jakubowski at mjakubowski@naturebridge.org to schedule a pre-trip visit.
- Vocabulary lists
- Teacher resources and professional development
- Channel Islands National Park’s information for teachers.
- Natural history background information on the Channel Islands from the National Park Service
- NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Channel Islands information for teachers.
- Natural history background information on the Channel Islands from NOAA
Are you ready for your NatureBridge field trip? It will take some preparation on your part to have the best trip ever. Definitely bring your sense of adventure, a willingness to try and push yourself beyond what you have done before, and your enthusiasm to learn about nature. The more you learn, the more you will be able to appreciate why nature is so special!
Get ready!
- Packing List Boat in English
- Packing List Boat in Spanish
- Packing List Island Camping in English
- Packing List Island Camping in Spanish
- Packing List Circle X Ranch and Camp Shalom in English
- Packing List Circle X Ranch and Camp Shalom in Spanish
Forms and paperwork
- Participant Registration Form in English. All students and adults must complete and sign this form to participate in our programs.
- Participant Registration Form in Spanish. Todos los estudiantes y adultos que estan visitando NatureBridge necesitan completar este papel.
- Student Behavior Contract. All students will sign this contract agreeing to campus rules and behavior guidelines.
- Channel Islands Outfitter kayak/snorkel Acknowledgement of Risk and Medical Information form. You will only need to fill this out if your group has added the kayaking and snorkeling option to your trip.
Contacting your child while on a program
- Truth Aquatics Boats Channel Islands: 805-962-1127
- Channel Islands Visitor Center Santa Cruz Camping: 805-658-5799. Note that it is very unlikely that our group will be able to be reached out on Santa Cruz Island, except in cases of extreme emergency.
- Circle X Ranch Santa Monica Mountains: 310-774-5990 (*our main campus office number)
- Camp JCA Shalom Santa Monica Mountains: 818-889-5500. Explain that your child is there with a NatureBridge program, as other youth groups may be using the site simultaneously.
- NatureBridge National Office in San Francisco: 415-992-4700
Thank you for volunteering to be a chaperone! Your positive attitude and willingness to participate during the instructional day is of great importance to both students and NatureBridge staff. Remember, the students will look to you for behavior cues. We ask that you remain positive and as upbeat as possible, even in inclement weather or during challenging portions of the hiking day.
Paperwork
- Packing List Channel Islands Boat in English
- Packing List Channel Islands Boat in Spanish
- Packing List Circle X & Camp Shalom in English
Chaperone responsibilities and FAQs
It was a pleasure to have your group participate in a NatureBridge program.
- Teacher and Chaperone Evaluation - Tent camping on the Channel Islands
- Teacher and Chaperone Evaluation - Camping in the Santa Monica Mountains
Teacher professional development: Spend a weekend with other educators back in the mountains or on the islands at one of our Teacher Professional Development workshops to continue your educational experience and enhance your classroom curriculum! Program discounts are often offered to our professional development participants!
Teachers & Administrators!
Reserve your 2012-2013 program by June 30th and get 10% off tuition.
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A Proud Partner of the National Park Service |

